Auto Accident Lawyer: Mother Pushes for New Federal Law for Rental Car Companies

An article released today by the Los Angeles Times describes how a citizen-driven initiative caused the introduction of a new bill by Congress. The introduced bill would prohibit rental car companies from renting vehicles which have been recalled, unless the appropriate repairs have occurred. This is an exciting moment for Cally Houck after tragically losing her two daughters, Raechel and Jacqueline, to a fatal car accident nearly ten years ago.

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The fatal accident happened when Raechel (age 24) and Jacqueline Houck (age 20) were driving from their mother’s home in Ojai to Santa Cruz. They were driving a rental PT Cruiser at the time.

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Halfway there, the rented vehicle swerved off of the highway, crossing the median. The vehicle carrying the Houck sisters hit a semi truck, and the car caught fire.

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Devastated at the loss of her two daughters, Cally Houck knew that something was wrong.

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Attorneys for the rental car company, Enterprise, placed blame on the driver. There were also implications that the accident was a suicide. After a brief search, parents of Raechel and Jacqueline came across information regarding a recall issued prior to the accident. The recall was regarding a defective steering hose which could possibly ignite.

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Rental car companies were not prohibited from renting vehicles under recall. Moreover, rental car companies were not required by law to disclose the recall information and lack of repair to customers renting the vehicle.

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Consult with an experienced auto accident lawyer.

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Baskerville Law is honored to help injured individuals and their loved ones who have been injured as a result of driving or manufacturer negligence. Call us today to speak directly with our trusted auto accident lawyer.